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19 January 2013

Beauty Destination - Kyoto

I use the term 'beauty destination' fairly loosely for Kyoto, because of course there are so many wonderful and beautiful sights to be seen that make-up shopping is probably not very high up most people's to-do list. However, not every visitor to Japan travels via Tokyo so I thought it might be useful to show what you can find in Kyoto. There are also a couple of Kyoto-exclusives that are worth a little look.


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In terms of general beauty shopping, Kyoto has a few department stores. There is a branch of Isetan in the station which stocks Helen Rubenstein, Anna Sui, RMK, Shu Uemura, Kanebo and more. It also has a little offshoot (Suvaco Isetan) which houses drugstore lines plus mid-range brands including MAC and L'Occitane. 

Downtown Kyoto is the most obvious place to head for department store shopping. Here you will find Takashimaya and Daimaru, which between them stock most major beauty lines. Note that, as far as I know, neither Addiction nor Suqqu are available in Kyoto. My other most favoured Japanese brand, THREE, has a small counter in Takashimaya. There is also a branch of OPAQUE in Downtown Kyoto which sells a selection of 'natural' beauty lines including Jurlique, John Masters Organics and Erbaviva. For drugstore products and other curiosities head to LOFT.

Yojiya
Kyoto's most famous beauty brand is Yojiya, which was founded in 1904 and is probably best-known for its blotting papers. There are a number of Yojiya stores dotted around Kyoto -- you can spot them by looking for the mirror/head logo. Other than at a couple of counters at Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports, Yojiya products are not available outside Kyoto.

The Yojiya website has a full list of the Kyoto store locations. There is one in Downtown Kyoto and a large store in Gion. There is also a pretty shop and garden just off the Philosopher's Walk en route to Ginkaku-ji (for me the most beautiful of Kyoto's temples).

Chidoriya
As well as the blotting papers, Yojiya also produces a number of skincare products plus some colour cosmetics and brushes. I only saw the make-up and brushes on sale in the Gion store. I was most interested in the lip creams, but skipped them as they seemed too sticky to double up as cream blushers. See Messy Wands for reviews of a Yojiya lipstick and cheek brush.

Also just off the Philosopher's Walk is Chidoriya, which sells a range of natural/organic Japanese beauty products and accessories. Chidoriya products are carried by a number of stores in Tokyo and the US, but the only free-standing store is in Kyoto. There is also a little salon next to the shop. I had to work quite hard not to buy everything in this shop. I managed to limit myself to the Nail Treatment Oil, which is lovely (if very expensive). Interestingly for a brand which markets itself as selling Japanese products, an awful lot of them are made in the USA (including the nail oil).

Make-up aside, this post is really just an excuse for me to spam you with some photos from my most recent trip to Kyoto. I went in November at the height of koyo season -- it was gloriously beautiful (if very crowded). 
Clockwise from top left: koyo at Kinkaku-ji, Kinkaku-ji, more koyo, gardens at Ginkaku-ji (I love seeing propped-up trees), Ginkaku-ji.
Clockwise from top left: lots of temples have a little spot for a cup of matcha and a sweet, Gion, Kinkaku-ji koyo, gardens at Ginkaku-ji.
Have you visited Kyoto? Is there anywhere you think I should add to my list? Let me know!

12 comments:

  1. Oh no! No Suqqu nor Addiction in Kyoto, and a small THREE counter? A good friend of mine will go there early Spring and I was thinking of taking an advantage of her going to Japan for some beauty shopping myself. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. I doubt she'll go to Tokyo, she'll probably just transit to Osaka and then back to US.

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    1. Fear not! Osaka has everything... you SHALL have Suqqu et al :)

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    2. Too bad there is no suqqu in kyoto. I had a false hope because the Suqqu global website says there is a suqqu shop in kyoto daimaru. Now, I really have to go to Osaka. I am going to Kyoto this april and make a side trip to Osaka.

      Where in Osaka can i buy Suqqu products? Can you remember the department store and if it is a counter or a store?

      Thanks.

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    3. If it's on the website then I expect it is there. I checked this when I went in November & again when I wrote the post so it may be new (or I may have missed it!). I'm afraid I don't know Osaka so can't recommend anything beyond the brand websites, but I will probably try to report back once I've had a chance to visit :).

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  2. I was in Kyoto a few months ago and missed the koyo season as well as the Yojiya and Chidoriya stores. :( But saw many other beautiful sites and will be sure to visit these unique stores next time! Thanks for the beautiful photos!

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    1. I think Kyoto is the most beautiful place I've ever visited -- it is worthy of many trips! I have been in winter and autumn so I'm hoping to go again in the spring.

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  3. Major life envy right now.

    Incredible photos, Rosy! I didn't buy makeup in Kyoto either (no point really, with Osaka so close) but just wafted around trailing random knick knacks in my wake with many a tea break. Delicious.

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    1. Thanks Kate! I went on my own so of the 10345548 million pictures I took of leaves a few were bound to turn out ok ;)

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  4. Hi Rosy, loving your destination post. Kyoto looks like a riot of beautiful colors. Thank you!

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    1. It is glorious. It beats Tokyo hands down in many ways -- I often think I'd prefer to live in Kyoto!

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